Tracking a Fox
by SLynnH
Summary: Gaara knows about 'Kyuubi' and is intent on finding this mysterious being. Gaara x Naruto
1. Default Chapter

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.  
  
Tracking a Fox: Prologue  
  
Through his window the soft, pale light of the moon spun its white web, dipping across the floor and reaching up towards the walls. Toys, books, games, and items of every kind were scattered across the floor; each fairly new but twisted or misshapen in different ways. In a corner away from all the destruction was a neatly made bed. It was there that the ruler of the room's chaos resided in the form of a six year old boy.  
  
Huddled under a worn brown blanket that was slumped over his head, the boy wouldn't even have been seen if it wasn't for the small streaks of rusty hair that spilled out like tiny vines. He watched the room with an unwavering gaze, simply staring ahead with piercing jade rimmed in black.  
  
Already he had sat there for an uncountable amount of time and he would continue to do so until the sun replaced the moon. Not once did he blink, simply waiting patiently for the time to pass. When the other awoke it meant that he could once more join the living and the masses. Even if they did despise him.  
  
He did not know what time it was when he heard the voices, but it was about the time the moon had reached its peak. Words floated up through his window like the soft sound of a butterfly's wings, seeming to drift on the air until they reached his ears.  
  
"What are you talking about? Why wasn't I informed earlier?"  
  
"We only just received the information, sir."  
  
The boy recognized the first voice; it was that of his father, the Kazekage. The second was a man that he did not know, probably one of the village's shinobi.  
  
"Damn. No doubt we gave them the inspiration."  
  
"Sir? What shall we do?"  
  
He wondered for a moment why they were up. Shouldn't they have been asleep too? Should he get up to see?  
  
"There's nothing we can do now. If the brat's anything like Gaara, it'll be a waste to send assassins. We've already lost enough men as it is."  
  
Picking up his name in the conversation, the boy held still and listened closely.  
  
"I see, sir. Are you sure that you don't want to send any shinobi to watch over him?"  
  
"No, we can't afford to do that either. No doubt he's under surveillance already. It won't be easy to hide in that city, even if we send Anbu. There are just too many people. Damn it, one demon on our hands was enough, now we have to contend with the Leaf's as well." Demon? Another demon? The rest of their conversation washed away into the night as the boy comprehended what he heard. Did this mean that he wasn't alone? That there was someone...someone out there that...that was just like him? Surely if there was...then they would understand what it was like for him. They would know...know how it felt, right?  
  
The blanket slid from his shoulders as his legs tumbled over the edge of the bed. His sandals landed with a dull tap on the wooden floor as he jumped down. From there his body slipped into the shadows and proceeded to the nearby door.  
  
He would find this other 'demon'. He would find them and then...  
  
"Gaara, where are you going?"  
  
The stern voice of his father collided with his thoughts as he passed through the cloth hanging over his doorway. Looking up, he could make out the scowl aimed for him. Each year the look became uglier and uglier. He didn't dare glance up again, instead sweeping his gaze to the floor.  
  
"I want to meet them." He replied quietly.  
  
The boy could feel his father's gaze penetrate him as silence reigned in the hallway. Somewhere farther off, he could hear Kankurou snoring.  
  
"Meet who?" His father finally asked with suspicion clearly marked in his tone. "...The other one, the other demon."  
  
He waited, fearing and eagerly anticipating his father's decision. A few moments passed before his father once again spoke.  
  
"All right. But there are conditions that will be placed on both of us. It is up to each person to hold to their agreements; otherwise you will not see this other demon."  
  
He could feel the low thrum of anger and annoyance course through him. He did not like this concept. He had never had to bargain before.  
  
"What do I have to do?"  
  
The eyebrows on his father arched in surprise for a moment, before quickly returning to the solemn mask. He responded quickly and naturally, even though it was clear he was thrown off by his son's response.  
  
"You will wait and become an official member of the Sand Village."  
  
He raised a hairless eyebrow at his father, before realizing the situation at hand. Obviously he did not know where this other demon resided or who they were. In order to gain this information he would have to rely on those who knew, namely his father. Besides, being an 'official member of the Sand Village' meant only one thing; becoming a shinobi. If he became one, it would only mean that he could find this demon-person that much sooner.  
  
Looking up at the towering man before him, he contemplated the path he was being lead on.  
  
He admitted to himself that there were times when he became impatient with people or annoyed and ended up killing them, especially since the death of Yashamaru. But this was different. This was like waiting for the sun to rise, for everyone to wake up. It was waiting to no longer be completely alone. For that, he would always be patient.  
  
"Agreed." 


	2. Tracking a Fox chapter 1

Author's note:  
  
What age is Gaara, really?! According to profiles he's 12. I say 'Eh' to that, and thus Gaara has been changed to 13. He was born in January (17), anyway.  
  
Wait, 6 + 6 = 12!? Okay, yeah. However as you will see later, Gaara's closer to seven in the last chapter, 7 + 6 = 13, right?  
  
Gennin exams/ timeline: I don't know when they take place, but I'm going to assume they take place around the same time that the Chuunin does. Thus, if Chuunin are held twice a year, then one should take place approximately every 6 months. If they take place every six months, then that would mean that around January (more than likely) or February they take place. Thus, the next available one is in July, which Gaara takes.  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.  
  
Tracking a Fox: Chapter One  
  
Already five years had passed and ultimately he had not met this other 'demon'. Staring at the man before him, Gaara watched with the same expression as the one from that night so long ago. In return, he was regarded with that of a stranger's indifferent eyes. During these last few years that man had slowly morphed from being known as 'father' but to 'Kazekage' in his mind. At the current moment he was not pleased with either.  
  
Standing in the chambers of the Sand's Kazekage, the two stared coldly at one another. His father's expression was carefully hidden behind the delicate cloth covering, but it was easy to discern the contempt he held for his son. Seated in the only chair, he glared down at Gaara who stood at the steps below. Outside, the wind and sand shifted against the clay buildings and could be heard howling. As though they where listening for this, the flames from the torches began to quiver and dance with their shadows.  
  
"I have become a gennin."  
  
The others in the room had fled quickly when the youngest of the Kazekage had entered. Judging by the tendrils of sand wrapping around his feet, the recently turned thirteen-year old was not too thrilled. Everyone in the village knew what could happen, what had happened. He didn't even notice them.  
  
"It is time for your end."  
  
All that he could see was his father, the Kazekage, perched above him in the shadows of the night. The young man had completed his side of the deal and he had grown tired of waiting. He had received his badge of adulthood, the newly acquired slip of fabric and metal tied to the leather strap at his side.  
  
Excited from feeding off his emotions, the sand began to rise dramatically around him. Gaara again, never noticed. All he could see was his father.  
  
"You are not officially a gennin. When you have gained an instructor and completed eight missions, come back."  
  
The sand plummeted to the ground before rising again quickly. No, he could not kill him. The Kazekage, his father was still needed.  
  
Gaara turned sideways sending a long glare to the older man before choosing to leave. Behind him, the sand continued to follow like a small animal, rubbing occasionally at his legs.  
  
In turn, the Kazekage watched his son disappear quickly and silently from the room. It was only a few moments later when the screams started. __________________________________________  
  
The next day proved to be more eventful for Gaara than the one before. His warning had from last night had paid off, not only relieving him of his stress but motivating the Kazekage into assigning him his team and teacher.  
  
Both of his teammates were older and more experienced, both having become gennin nearly six months ago. It didn't matter. Where they had passed late, he had passed early. He and his siblings were on equal footing, unless you counted strength.  
  
Thankfully, their instructor knew this and did not demand anything from him. He simply looked to Gaara as the team leader, stated the facts and allowed them to go. It was clear that as long as he remained they had no need to mess with D-rank missions, as younger gennin tended to do. Instead they'd been upgraded to C-rank. __________________________________________  
  
The completion of his eighth mission was marked by the coming of March. It was at his own discretion that the Kazekage had chosen to enter Gaara and his team in the Chuunin exam. Not that he'd really had an alternative solution. It was either allow his son to take the exam or face his wrath when he went to look for his demon anyway.  
  
Like every year previous, the exam was to take place in the village of the Leaf. However the exam was still four months away, and Gaara's patience was wearing entirely too thin.  
  
He was close to completing his goal, to finding the other one like him. All he needed was to get a name, a description and then he could easily find them. If he had to, he'd kill every solitary person in the Leaf village until they handed the demon over.  
  
Sensing his thoughts, the sand rattled around in gourd strapped to his back. On second thought, maybe he'd do that anyway. __________________________________________  
  
Baki was already waiting for the children of the Kazekage as they arrived at the proper meeting place, a small enclosure overlooking the village. Stepping into the shade of the platform, Gaara allowed his siblings to catch up. They were flanking him a moment later, Temari to his left and Kankurou to the right. He stared at his teacher with a steady gaze, enjoying the stiff posture he presented. So he'd heard about the blood spilt yesterday.  
  
"So, what're we doing today?" Temari asked, hands on her hips.  
  
"Kazekage has assigned us a B-rank mission. We'll leave today and head north for the next couple of months where we're to eliminate several...nuisances." Baki's right eye scanned all three of them, before he appeared satisfied. "If there's nothing else, I'd like to make good headway before noon."  
  
His siblings waited for Gaara's response, their eyes watching his back for the slightest change in temperament.  
  
"Let's go." He stated dully, before turning and riding the winds back to the ground. A moment later all three were beside him as he walked through the streets and towards the gates of the village. The sooner these meaningless missions were complete, the sooner he would reach his own ambitions.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
By midday they'd managed to reach the edge of the sand's terrain. Small turfs of grass and more rocky attributes began to level out the fields as they raced across the surface of their homeland. Leaping over the last sand dune, Gaara came to a halt. Baki was right behind him, followed by Temari and then Kankurou. He turned towards the mentor of the his team and waited silently.  
  
"We made better time than I thought we would. Wait here while I scout."  
  
Their teacher disappeared a second later, leaving his three students to take in the view. Green stretched forward as far as they could see. Off in the distance, small speaks reached towards the sky like brown pebbles and littered it just as readily as the ground. Darkened clouds hung over the area and boomed menacingly in the distance.  
  
Minutes later Baki returned to lay out the plan details. Camp would be set up along the edge of the trees to provide shelter and refuge from the sun. A lake was three miles off in the east and could be used for various personal reasons other than drinking. They couldn't chance a fire so close to the borders of Sand Country, so it would be cold rations tonight.  
  
Without saying a word, Gaara broke away from the respective group and headed forward alone. The others watched him silently before parting to make camp. He'd return in a few hours after the hunt.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
His hunt was something he did regularly, a habit he had formed after finding out about the 'other'. An addiction, thrill, hobby, anything you could call it, it was that and so much more. Since the acceptance that he and the demon where one entity; it had become more and more obvious that it was what he was meant to do. Besides, it pleased mother. Inside his head he could hear her faintly calling out to him. Right now she was demanding blood. Any blood.  
  
Leaping upwards, he caught a low branch and pulled himself up. Concentrating and applying almost the same amount of chakra that would take to walk up a wall, he leapt and caught another branch with his feet. Satisfied, he raced forward searching for his first victim.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
In a single hour he'd already managed to kill half a dozen creatures. The sand had easily crushed each animal's spine which in turn allowed blood to splatter against the trees, ground, and any other visible item. Waiting for the sand to absorb its meal, Gaara scanned for the next victim.  
  
It didn't take too long; a small rabbit zoomed underneath him while scurrying through the bushes.  
  
Splat.  
  
Satisfaction raced through his mind along with words of praise, a gift from his mother. She rarely spoke to him directly, instead opting to communicate feelings. Inwardly he grinned. When she felt happy, he was happy. Facing to the south, he made his way back towards camp while the sand caressed his legs.  
  
__________________________________________  
  
When morning broke the next day, he was the only one awake. Sitting in a branch of a random tree, he watched as the others lay beneath him on various piles of leaves and other forest excretions. Idly his mind wandered to the thought of how easy it would be to destroy them right here, right now. He wouldn't or couldn't with the Chuunin exam so close. They had to enter as a team, after-all. But he'd get them eventually. His sand rattled in anticipation of the dark judgments. Mother was sleeping too but that didn't mean she couldn't hear him.  
  
Not more than a minute passed before his musings were interrupted. The sounds of voices began to spill over from a nearby clearing. Inside, he began to boil with eagerness at the prospect of human blood. The fools shouldn't have come so close to camp. He leapt to the ground as easily as a natural predator would; landing silently he made his way towards them without pause.  
  
He found them before long. The group consisted of four shinobi, simply standing around as though they had nothing else to do. They were all adults and more than likely Jounin. Not that it mattered.  
  
He instantly struck out, killing two with Sabaku SouSou before they knew what had happened. The others he played with, ripping body parts off one at a time. It was a form of Sabaku Kyuu that he'd been experimenting with; it almost allowed the same amount of blood to coat everything as Sabaku SouSou.  
  
Their screams wracked the air in twin crescendos as the fluids of life dripped from them. His team was assembled behind him a moment later, admiring his handiwork. Temari and Kankurou looked positively green.  
  
Allowing the sand to drop the last man's head to the ground, Gaara turned and spoke with no hesitation.  
  
"Ready."  
  
He had to admit that he enjoyed the looks on the faces of his teammates. They were horrified at what he'd done, though it seemed that Baki took it in stride. Before they could reply, he took to the trees and headed towards the mountains. Immediately they continued after him, trying to keep up.  
  
"Who were those shinobi?" Kankurou asked, eyeing Baki as they ran.  
  
"Jounin from the Stone. Looks like they were headed towards our village though." Baki replied.  
  
A dark look passed between Kankurou and Temari, twisting their faces in determination and worry.  
  
"Where they waiting for us?" Temari yelled as the wind rushed passed them.  
  
"I don't know for certain. It doesn't matter anyway; all we have to do is complete the mission."  
  
They continued moving for another hour and a half before coming to an end outside a small village. It was Baki who had stopped the group this time.  
  
"Here's one of the targets. No one is to leave this area alive, got that? Destroy everything. I want Gaara to be the main attacker; everyone else is to set up formation on the outside of the circumference."  
  
__________________________________________  
  
Fourteen weeks passed before their team finally returned to the gates of the Sand Village. In that time, they'd destroyed all seven targets and an extra five relayed by messenger. Each village was located right outside the Wind country but not close enough to the Hidden Stone Village to be protected properly.  
  
It was during the fourth village massacre that Gaara called on 'mother'.  
  
The moon had shown down over the mountains, bathing everything in scarlet light. As the night progressed and more people were ripped apart, Gaara began to under go the changes.  
  
Sand had snaked around his body, pulsing with blue veins and drifting over him. It was one of the few times that he'd called Shukaku forth willingly. From behind him, a tail spurt into the air and shifted by itself.  
  
With his body absolutely oozing power and moon singing to him, he and his demon had slaughtered every man, woman, and child in minutes. Ripping and tearing them apart until the remains of their bodies were interconnected in a finely tuned web of blood, flesh and bone. His sister and brother watched in silent terror until they chose to flee. He had loved every minute of it.  
  
When they arrived in the village they rested for another week before taking off out the gates for a second time. Baki chose to stay behind, preferring to keep out of it in preparation for other things. Gaara, Temari, and Kankurou went solo, heading towards the long awaited home of the second demon child.  
  
Inside, Gaara smiled once again as he and his team raced across the dunes. His patience had paid off and soon, very soon, he would meet the one just like him. He would meet the demon of the Fire country. 


	3. Tracking A Fox chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.  
  
Author's note: Hey, I made some minor changes to the last Chapter. It's just some words, lines, and another author's note. Oh and before I forget again, thank you for bringing Gaara's age more clearly to my attention, shikome kido me. Anyway, thanks for the reviews everyone. Just to let you know, they have their own special folder on my computer.  
  
Tracking a Fox: Chapter 2  
  
All three had traveled continuously across the hilly dunes of sand, resting in quick intervals on occasion. Gaara was not one for mercy even if they were apart of his 'family'. Both of his teammates understood this concept and endured under their scarlet hair brother who, if given the chance, would kill them.  
  
As the sand under their feet gave away to more solid attributes, Gaara couldn't help but feel his body shiver. With each step he was coming closer to the village. Each rock, tree, animal, that flew past symbolized his path. Sand changed to dirt, dirt to grass, and grass to tall pines with green foliage. Everything up to this point had occurred to give birth to these moments and those that were forth coming.  
  
His team stumbled behind him, before each collapsed onto the ground. Gaara stopped and sent a cold look over his shoulder.  
  
"Get up."  
  
He watched them exchange looks before rising unsteadily to their feet. Temari was leaning over heavily, fan resting closed on her back, fists clenched on her knees. Kankurou had an elbow propped up on the side of a tree, one eye closed in a mocking wink.  
  
They were pathetic. He hadn't even broken a sweat and here they were panting like animals.  
  
"The next village we come to, we'll stop for the night. We can't have the Leaf shinobi thinking we're weak."  
  
Both glanced up at him with mixed expression of surprise and relief. Strength seemed to flood back into their limbs as they stood up steadily once more. Temari was self conscious for a moment, soothing her dress and wiping dirt off her cheeks. Once more, Gaara turned and took to the rigorous pace he had set up.  
  
No, it certainly wouldn't do to arrive at the Leaf Village in the state they were in. Their journey had been longer than any distance they had traveled before and with the rate he was pushing his siblings, they were bound to break down soon. As much as he hated to follow protocol, they were going to represent the Sand Village. Entering with a ragged and tired team would only allow others to see them as weak.  
  
Besides, they only had a couple more hours until they reached their destination. If wouldn't hurt if they delayed for a day. Somewhere among the village his demon resided. To be seen with such pathetic company, what would that say about him? When he entered the village, he wanted to be seen as an equal. He would be seen as a worthy adversary from another village, someone that held power and respect. To let his siblings go uncared for as they were would only serve to confuse the 'other'. Yes, certainly, this was the best path. To keep going would cause detrimental damage to everything he'd been working for.  
  
______________________________  
  
All three children came to a halt on the outskirts of the promised town, staring at the buildings and fencing that was in slight disarray. A sign over the entrance was propped up by two poles and rusted over from long usage. Inside it was worse, the dingy and shoddy construction of buildings ready to fall on them at any moment. Wires twisted from building to building, jumping everyway that they could before disappearing into the framework. Crumpled paper, bottles and assortments of trash were scattered through the streets.  
  
They picked their way through the area carefully, Gaara leading them once more while they flanked his sides. There was absolutely no one on the streets and would have made the task of finding shelter easier had they been available. He was almost disappointed that there was no one to challenge him, to look at him the wrong way. It would have been easy to kill them and rid himself of the annoying urgency he felt.  
  
Walking through the front door of a cheap inn, he and his teammates scanned the area. It was surprising how empty it was. Other than the inn keeper at the counter, there was no one. Afternoon light filtered in through the window and cast a shadow on the sleeping figure in front of them. All three quickly made their way across the room and waited as he noticed them and stretched.  
  
"What can I do for you kids?" He muttered halfheartedly, scratching the side of an unshaved cheek.  
  
"What else would we would we be here for? We need rooms you bastard!"  
  
The man switched his focus on Kankurou for a moment and let out a yawn. Not at all fazed by the younger man's glare, he turned and retrieved their desired keys before setting them on the table. Temari pulled out their funds and paid the man, who nodded and didn't even bother to look at the amount she offered. Stuffing it in his ratty robe, he nodded towards the stairs at his left before returning to his former position.  
  
Gaara looked to his two siblings before turning away from them. He had no desire rest, and it wasn't plausible to think that he could sleep, not if he wanted to live. Returning the entrance he stopped and turned back to his siblings. If he wanted to live...  
  
"We leave at sunrise so be prepared."  
  
Exiting the room he made his way through the crowded town, racing across rooftops and over the fences. If he wanted to live, he had to have a reason. That was something he had decided long ago, during the time that Yashamaru had...  
  
The pain burst into his head, making him close his eyes briefly. Several shadows were following him now, trying to keep up.  
  
If hunting was a personal passion, then tracking the demon was a goal. He wanted to meet them, to understand whether he was truly alone. How had they handled the unbearable pain of solitude? How had they survived against the hate of their village? When compared to one another, who would be stronger?  
  
A shiver ran through him as he jumped to the ground. Yes...who would be stronger? Between demons, who would turn up more dominate? They had reached the outskirts of the village, where a vacant clearing was chosen to serve as their makeshift battle ground.  
  
The shinobi who raced in after him were all from the Rock. They blathered at him with mocking voices, stating their vendetta with him as revenge for the villages he had slaughtered. Growing bored, he crushed one while watching as the others scrambled away. They didn't get too far before he trailed after them, picking them off one at a time. As he rounded up the last of the group, he found there were two left. Together, both of them were backed against the fencing of the town. One had a fracture in their leg and the other with a broken arm. In a desperate last chance, they raced forward at him with surprising speed and agility. He hadn't had time to react before they were dead. Staring at the fresh corpses in front him, Gaara looked up at the roof of a nearby building.  
  
The attackers were there, staring down at him with slightly fearful yet relieved expressions. Behind them the last of the sun faded leaving only darkness in its wake. The one closest jumped down quickly, snapping her fan shut in the process. A second later, the other followed leaping on a fence to the ground with Karasu hanging off his body.  
  
"Temari. Kankurou."  
  
He stared at them coldly, annoyed that they had chosen to interfere in his battle. They both flinched visibly but held their gazes steady.  
  
"Boss...Gaara..." Kankurou started.  
  
"Shut up. Don't interfere in my business; those were my kills."  
  
"Gaara..." Temari spoke up, her face twisted in concern. Her hand was waist level and stretched towards him, as though trying to grab him. It curled back unconsciously when he leveled his glare on her.  
  
"We...we were worried for you. There were others after us too." She stammered.  
  
Anger thrummed through him and his eyes narrowed even further. They had to no right to take his kill. And what she said...lies. They'd never cared before. Swirling up ominously, the sand took a defense posture around him ready to strike. He wanted to...he wanted to kill them so badly. Under his skin, mother screamed at him. Not yet...no, the Chuunin exam.  
  
"Go back to the inn and sleep. I'll let it go today but..."  
  
Enraged, his sand reached out like hands and strained to grab at the two. The wisps of it retracting back to his body and embracing him.  
  
"...Do not disobey my orders!"  
  
His arm snapped out, the sand immediately reaching out towards his elder brother. He watched with glee as Kankurou's eyes widened at the sight of his sand. Crashing forward in a giant wave, it headed straight towards the puppet master before pausing a slight moment. Almost reluctantly it passed by him before eliciting the shrill screech of an animal and the crack of wood.  
  
In turn, the blast of sand propelled the young man forward and allowed to him to land exactly where he would never want to be. Right at the feet of his red-headed sibling. Looking up, he stared up at Gaara with shocked eyes until he scrambled backwards towards Temari. Switching gazes between the bloody pile of wood and the youngest of the Kazekage at equal intervals, the boy watched in mute disbelief as his brother turned from them and headed back into the woods.  
  
Neither of his teammates moved as he left, just staring after him in fright and horror.  
  
______________________________  
  
What was his reason for living? Long ago he had asked that question, not understanding the circumstances surrounding his life. His people hated him, yet revered him. Used him, but would cast him away with no more than a glance.  
  
He had tried to be liked...to be lov...but it hadn't worked. He had followed his father, doing as he required. Killing, training, anything to be looked at the way other families that looked at their children. Anything to be treated the way Temari and Kankurou were. But he wasn't. He was a demon and a child. Innocent but defiled. Something cast together and mixed until there was one entity inhabiting a small body.  
  
Not knowing who, what, and why, they came and tried to kill him. They never succeeded; of course, the sand always stopped them just in time. But it still scared him. He had wandered through the days, lost, hopeless, not understanding. Questions continuously haunting and tormenting him. 'Why am I such a monster?' 'What...exactly am I?'  
  
...At least they had until that incident. It was then that his purpose was revealed, being stated in the words of mother by the one closest to both him and her.  
  
"Your mother gave you your name. 'This child's name is 'Gaara', a demon that only loves himself. 'Love only yourself and fight only for your sake...' She wanted prayed and hoped that your existence would continue on into eternity..."  
  
And he finally understood what he was. He was Gaara, meant always to be alone, and meant only to love himself. Something that was selfish, someone who would only satisfy their own desires.  
  
He accepted that fact...yet still... He wanted to be around others, he didn't want to be alone. That night when he overheard his father talking, that night had brought about the final and monumental change.  
  
When he had heard that there was someone just like him, he knew that the precious grip that had held him to the village had failed. He had fallen into a black abyss and there was no way to go back. Not that it really mattered anymore. There was a safety net waiting for him, the thought of another demon allowing him to stop his plummet.  
  
Death had changed to life inside him. The fear he held would be used to crush every human. He would embrace the thing that he himself hated; the demon inside him. All that would remain once he had fulfilled his purpose would be two people. Himself and the 'other'. The precious 'other' that was like him, that would understand.  
  
Rising over the forest, the first waves of light hit against the bark in the color of blood. Gaara opened his eyes, leaning against the bark of a tree trunk. Turning towards the East, he watched as the colors of the sunrise slide across the sky.  
  
It was almost time.  
  
Wisps of sand floated away from his gourd and chose to settle around him. Arms crossed, one leg dangling off the side of the tree limb, he watched and waited and dreamed. 


	4. Tracking A Fox chapter 3

AN: References in manga translations come from Narutofan.com. PLEASE EXCUSE MY WRITER'S BLOCK!!!  
  
Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto.  
  
Tracking a Fox: Chapter Three  
  
They arrived in the village just after noon, the sun just barely at its peak. A well-worn road had been their guide to Leaf Village taking far less time to travel than the forest. Temari and Kankurou having been relieved for the night, managed to move much more quickly than the day before. There wasn't even any dirt on them when they passed through the gates.  
  
Checking in to the Leaf Village was a simple chore. All it really demanded was that Gaara and his team to find the Hokage and present themselves. If the Hokage approved, they would be awarded their passes and allowed to stay in the village.  
  
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Sliding the wooden frame and its thin covering, he had stepped into the room bordered by Kankurou and Temari. The room seemed relatively old. Dusty white banners hung from the ceiling like the abandoned remains of a spider's web, a cracked cobble stone floor partially covered by a green carpet lead to a small man crouched behind a wooden podium. He seemed surprised to see them for a moment before his expression twisted into a frown, the pipe in his mouth jutting out from a thin face.  
  
As he stood, his gaze swept over them.  
  
"There's a meeting in a few minutes, so I'll make this quick."  
  
The Hokage passed by them in an orderly fashion, heading through the open door and into the same compact hallway that his team had just been in. The elderly man's voice echoed down the hallway for a few moments before they took it as a signal that he wanted the three to follow him.  
  
"As foreigners, it is expected you follow the guidelines set down by the pact between our countries. Taking the Chuunin exam is something that can not be considered easy by any means, especially for younger gennin. There is the possibility of death and failure in taking on this challenge and I cannot be held accountable for the actions of teams or individuals."  
  
Several doors down the Hokage chose to stop and enter another room. Gaara paused and waited as the old man fumbled through various boxes with the leaf symbol embedded in them. Finally, after minutes of constant shuffling and box shifting their passes were recovered. Adjusting his pipe, the Hokage smiled at the group as he returned to the doorway.  
  
"The Kazekage sent your paperwork in rather early, which was a bit surprising. Normally gennin wait a bit longer before taking the exam, though I expect that we too, will have some of our brightest entering. Good luck to all of you."  
  
After administering the desired items the Hokage continued past them, one arm resting against his back and the other holding onto his pipe. The three siblings watched as he disappeared into his conference room, not once sparring them another glance. Kankurou shifted momentarily, succeeding in being awarded in both Gaara's and Temari's attention. The eldest of the trio swept his eyes across the floor momentarily while his comment echoed down the hall.  
  
"Bastard."  
  
______________________________  
  
There was no doubt in his mind that one of these gennins the Hokage had referred to was the 'demon'. It was evident in his pride, the way he smirked at them.  
  
The Leaf were already the most prosperous of all the Hidden Villages. They had the most clientele, the most resources, and their shinobi were often more able-bodied than everyone else's. Competition was almost non-existent to them. The only thing that really threatened them was the Sand's forced upgrade in shinobi.  
  
Shinobi like Gaara.  
  
Which was why they made their own, right? To not be outdone, to be the best.  
  
It was a cycle that constantly repeated itself with jealousy and pride running the show, continuously clouding the minds of each nation's leaders. Eventually it would ruin the residents of the country themselves, filling them with bitterness that couldn't be soothed.  
  
Behind him, Gaara could hear his siblings express their disgust for the Leaf Village. Both complaining in irritable voices over how arrogant and snobbish the city was, the nerve of the residents for simply breathing.  
  
None of that mattered to him. All he desired was to reach his goal and continue on with the mission of his life, that and...  
  
And...find his way through this town.  
  
The displeasure of his siblings continued on, changing tone when they were once more assaulted with the vision of wooden fencing and concrete.  
  
"Crap! Where the hell are we now!?"  
  
"Don't look at me! I'm following you two!"  
  
It was...frustrating to say the least. The way this city ran together, so many buildings and people crammed into one another. Searching for the demon one person at a time was out of the question. To do so would take longer than the week remaining before the Chuunin exam. It would be safer just to keep a low profile and wait for them to be flushed out.  
  
Coming to the next intersection, Gaara stopped. There was no use in stumbling around blind. All he had to do was scout the area for an inn and lead his team there. Temari and Kankurou were still following behind him, bickering in low voices. They dropped the conversation abruptly when his head swiveled to the right and he stared at them from the corner of one eye.  
  
"I'm going to scout. Stay here."  
  
__________________________________________  
  
The small inn they had been searching so diligently for turned out be entirely just around the next corner. A fact that in itself was sure to set fire to his team's already highly explosive tempers. Taking a slight amount of pleasure in the bit of irony that presented itself, Gaara was almost unaware of the surprise awaiting him. Almost.  
  
There were six of them in total. Four boys and two girls. Three were Leaf gennin and close to his age. Two were currently in the streets and appeared to be of no threat. But the third...the third, was a sizeable enemy based on the way he had thrown that rock. He could turn out to be a worthy adversary, perhaps even the demon Gaara had sought for so long. However, there was no way to confirm such a suspicion until the Chuunin exams. The same exam that Kankurou was currently ruining with his troublesome temper and only weapon.  
  
"Kankurou, stop it. You're an embarrassment to our village. To lose yourself in a fight, how pathetic. Why do you think we came to leaf village?"  
  
"Listen Gaara, they started it! And..."  
  
Voice filled with panic and eyes wide, Kankurou gestured at the leaf gennin and their companions. It was desperate attempt to place the blame on others, to distract him in order to save his own hide. A cowardly attempt that he would not overlook.  
  
"Shut up. I'll kill you."  
  
Seconds passed and he could feel his eyes narrow in distaste. His brother was shaking so badly now that any moment he might just break. If Kankurou wasn't careful, the situation could end up a repeat of yesterday's events. Or rather, a continuance. A continuance that would certainly prove that he did not give out second warnings.  
  
"Okay! I...I'm sorry!"  
  
"I'm also sorry, really sorry..." Temari added on hastily.  
  
Though the apologies had been for the Leaf, they were still forcibly directed to him. With their cowardice showing through, Gaara would have to take matters into his own hands. His eyes once more swept over the five in the street before continuing on to the other boy in the tree. As the strongest, it was only natural for him to be the leader.  
  
"Sorry to you guys."  
  
As soon as he said the words he was on his way to the street below. When he landed both teammates backed away slowly, allowing room for the swirling mass of wind that had accompanied him. Bits of dust sifted through the air and around his body as Gaara stood.  
  
The Leaf had been dealt with, now to handle his own team.  
  
"It looks like we got here too early but we didn't come to play around...let's go."  
  
"Wait!" One of the Leaf gennin had chosen to speak out. A weak female with pink hair, a scarlet dress, and...and was that her forehead? Her eyebrows became furrowed, the smooth expanse of skin lifting higher. She was focusing on him, talking, wait...what was she saying?  
  
"What?"  
  
"...shinobi from the Hidden Sand village, right? You may be allies with Leaf Village but it's forbidden for shinobis to enter each other's village without permission. State your purpose. Depending on it, we may not be able to let you go."  
  
Obviously no one had noticed his blunder.  
  
"Hah! Talk about clueless. Don't you know anything?"  
  
It was Temari who responded, probably taking offense to the forehead girl. The pass granted to her from the Hokage was now displayed proudly in her hand, an arrogant smirk gracing her features. More than likely it related back to the issues of the village upkeep. Still...that forehead...  
  
"You're right; we're gennins from the Hidden Sand. We've came to your village to take the Chuunin selection exam. "  
  
"Chuunin Selection Exam?" The last of the Leaf gennin then chose to chime in. This one blond, male, and apparently ignorant of the shinobi ways.  
  
Temari again responded, this time with her arm crossed and eyes closed. "Geez...you really don't know anything. The Chuunin exam is where outstanding gennins from Sand, Leaf and other neighboring villages assemble to take an exam to become a Chuunin. "  
  
"Why do they take it together?"  
  
"The main purpose is said to be to improve relationships between the allies and to raise the shinobi level. However, each country likes to maintain a power balance and..."  
  
The words faded away as the forehead seemed to expand. What was she exactly? How could anyone have such a huge fore...  
  
"Hey you, what's your name?" The leader of the Leaf gennin had phased to the ground in front of him, choosing to drive his attention away from the forehead...girl.  
  
"Huh? You mean me?" His sister uttered hopefully.  
  
"No, you with the gourd."  
  
His siblings paused, Temari flushed with embarrassment and Kankurou with alarm. They were watching, waiting for his response.  
  
"Gaara of the Desert...I'm also interested in you, your name?"  
  
"It's Uchiha Sasuke."  
  
The leader of the Leaf gennins was smirking at him with understanding. He obviously knew who he was, what he was. Even if this boy was not the demon, he still knew. Yes, somewhere around 'Uchiha Sasuke', the demon of the Fire country would appear.  
  
"HEY! WHAT ABOUT ME, HUH?"  
  
It was the blond once more, someone whom Gaara was beginning to suspect was a complete and utter imbecile.  
  
"Not interested." His reply was flat and cut off any further attempts for conversation. Glancing at his team, he immediately sent out his instructions. "Let's go..."  
  
He left a moment later, Temari and Kankurou directly behind him. Neither said a word as he lead them to the inn from earlier. They were either too afraid or contemplating the meeting that had just occurred. As they checked into their rooms, Temari was the first to speak out.  
  
"Uchiha Sasuke...He's pretty cool looking, though I don't think he's too bright."  
  
"Yeah, there's no way he could go up against Gaara." Kankurou replied. "Though look at the rest of his team and those whiny brats."  
  
"...That girl had a really big forehead though."  
  
"Yeah..."  
  
He made no comment. 


End file.
